


Breaking the Box

by LocallyGrownAvocado



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Background Otayuri vibes, M/M, Ok maybe a lot angsty, i have no clue how to tag this, i'll add more characters as they show up, read the summary, slightly angsty
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-02
Updated: 2020-09-29
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:53:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23941111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LocallyGrownAvocado/pseuds/LocallyGrownAvocado
Summary: According to the group chat Leo made at three in the morning one night, they’re “Dr. K’s Bad Bitches”. But in reality, they’re simply two PA’s, a driver, and three in-home aides tasked with helping Dr. Yuuri Katsuki- arguably one of the smartest men in the world.Between the six of them, they have the Doctor perfectly figured out. They know his schedule, his routines, his favorite foods. But everything is not as it seems- a supposedly dead fiancee is very much alive, and the Doctor’s perfectly oiled life is not as seamless as it appears.
Relationships: Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov
Comments: 35
Kudos: 42





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So. First things first, if you're someone following me from way back when, consider this a disclaimer. This fic is not like Tech Week, or any of the cute fluffy AU's that I've written before. It's dark, it's angsty. None of the major content warnings apply, nor will they in the future. But just... be aware. 
> 
> That said, this is a project I've had on the back of my mind for like three years now, and since I'm stuck at home now, I'm revisiting it. So, I hope y'all enjoy this wild ride with me, and let me know what you think!

**Monday, November 7th, 12:00 AM**

Yuri Plisetsky sits alone in the living room. The apartment lights are off, the windows are shut. The only light comes from the backdrop of his laptop as he finishes the last of his programming homework. If he were to pull out his headphones, he might hear the slight humming of a dehumidifier, perhaps the sounds of deep breathing from the bedroom down the hall.

But instead, all Yuri Plisetsky hears is the pulsing beat of late-night Spotify playlist. 

Eventually, he finishes his programming and pulls out his calculus book. He clicks on the lamp next to the couch and starts to work his way through every integral, writing surprisingly legible considering the hour of the morning. 

After he makes it through his math homework, he checks the time. 

It’s 1:27, two hours and thirty-three minutes left on his shift. 

He closes his calculus book, opens Netflix, and starts to binge House of Cards for the fourth time. 

**Monday, November 7th, 4:00 AM**

JJ Leroy arrives at the apartment at four, on the dot. The door is locked, of course, but his key opens it easily. He sets his bags down in the entryway, hanging said keys on the wall hooks alongside his co-worker's. 

The two sets of keys look oddly out of place hanging there together. Yuri’s hang on a black lanyard along with some band keychains and a set of brass knuckles. JJ’s, on the other hand, hang on a bright red lanyard along with a silver maple leaf he got in Vancouver and a small cross.

Had it not been for the job, they probably would’ve killed each other, but JJ likes to believe they’re at least somewhat friends. 

Speaking of his coworker, Yuri lays sprawled across the couch staring at his laptop screen, headphones tucked into his ears. He has his hair tied up in a sloppy knot, graphing calculator sticking out of the back pocket of his skinny jeans. 

“How many cups of coffee have you had this morning, you fucking sunshine ray?” he asks sourly as he packs up his laptop.

“None,” JJ replies with a smirk. “Just high on endorphins from the morning jog.”

“You went jogging at three in the morning,” Yuri says flatly.

“I don’t have to deal with the commuters.”

Yuri just rolls his eyes. “Well, there’s an extra Monster in the fridge, it’s yours if you want it.”

“Is that thoughtfulness, Yuri Plisetsky?” JJ asks sarcastically. “I’m flattered.”

“Don’t be,” his coworker snaps as he grabs his keys. “You’re still an ass.”

And just like that, Yuri is gone and JJ is alone in the apartment. 

He isn’t really alone- technically Dr. Katsuki is asleep in the other room. But the Doctor doesn’t count if he isn’t awake, and thus JJ has three hours to kill before the alarm inevitably goes off at seven. 

He starts by opening the curtains, slowly working his way through every window to prepare for the sunrise. He empties the trash in Dr. Katuski’s office and straightens the artwork on the walls. He sweeps the kitchen floors, unloads the dishwasher, and makes a grocery list for Emil. By the time six-thirty rolls around, the apartment is immaculate and JJ starts to brew the morning coffee. 

Over the course of the next half hour, the smell of coffee slowly wanders through the apartment. Sunlight starts to illuminate the kitchen as JJ scrambles eggs. At exactly seven, faint music starts to emerge from the bedroom. It lasts for about three minutes before it’s abruptly cut off, a tired-looking Dr. Katsuki emerging from the bedroom moments later. 

“Good morning,” JJ says cheerily. “Coffee?”

Dr. Katsuki nods and makes his way toward the kitchen counter. He walks slowly with a bit of a limp in his left leg. When JJ had started his job, his supervisor had explained the injury- apparently, it was a cluster of torn ligaments that they hadn’t quite been able to reattach. They’d been able to fix a lot of things after the plane crash, but the leg hadn’t been one of them. 

“How are you feeling?” JJ asks as he hands the Doctor his coffee. 

“I feel like they should’ve moved Roundtable to eleven, but nobody listens to me anyway.”

The Doctor’s sarcasm is a bit of a rare occurrence- it tends to appear in the mornings when he’s still tired and his painkillers haven’t quite kicked in yet. 

Speaking of painkillers, JJ pulls the small collection of morning pills from the medicine drawer. There are four for Monday mornings- two painkillers, one for blood pressure, and one for anxiety. The Doctor swallows each and every one, wincing as the last tablet slides down the back of his throat. 

“How’s Isabella?” he asks. 

JJ smiles. He’d started working for the Doctor a little less than a year ago, which was incidentally around the time he’d met Bella in a nightclub downtown. The Doctor had asked about his hangover the next morning, and JJ had spilled everything. 

Dr. Katsuki has been his unofficial relationship counselor ever since. 

“Bella’s great,” he says. “We went out for dinner a few nights ago, actually. Got Italian on Emil’s recommendation. He knew the owners or something, got me a really nice discount. Bella doesn’t know that though. Eggs?”

The Doctor nods. “You’ve been together a while now, are things getting serious?”

JJ smiles as he hands the Doctor his breakfast. 

“Yeah, actually,” he says. “I think I might ask her to marry me. Still trying to think of a plan, though.”

Dr. Katsuki thinks for a moment, slowly eating his scrambled eggs. “Just make it heartfelt and sincere,” he eventually says. “You don’t need to be extravagant, you just have to be you.”

“You’re one to talk,” JJ says with a laugh.

The words are out of his mouth before he has the chance to process them, and the minute he realizes what he’s said he knows he can’t take it back.

The Doctor chokes on his coffee. 

“If you’ll excuse me, I should probably take a shower,” he says curtly. “Can’t be late to the roundtable.”

It’s the last thing he says before walking out of the kitchen, coffee mug in hand. JJ watches him go, the lump in his throat growing with every step the Doctor takes. 

He shouldn’t have made that comment.

He shouldn’t have mentioned proposing at all. 

He should’ve just talked about dinner and changed the subject. 

But no, JJ had eluded to The Fiancee, and now he has to stand in the kitchen with his foot in his mouth until the Doctor decides to face him again. 

If word gets back to his supervisor, he’ll be out of a job for sure. 

He pulls out his phone and sends a quick text to Leo.

**_Mentioned Fiancee by accident, Dr. might be a little on edge._ **

Leo responds in about seven seconds flat. 

**_Yours or his?_ **

JJ rolls his eyes. 

**_I haven’t proposed yet, smartass._ **

Leo doesn’t respond to that one. JJ guesses he’ll probably get an in-person lecture later, after all, he probably deserves it. But for the time being, JJ just stands in the kitchen eating what’s left of the scrambled eggs. 

In a few minutes, the shower will stop running and JJ will help the Doctor put on his brace. He’ll pull a suit from the closet, pick a nice tie to go with it. He’ll double-check the Doctor’s portfolios and make sure his afternoon medication gets into his bag. He’ll probably apologize.

And then it will be nine, and his shift will be over.

JJ checks his watch. He only has an hour and seventeen minutes left to go. 

**Monday, November 7th, 9:00 AM**

Leo pulls up to the apartment building, turns his radio volume down and unlocks the car doors. He waits in silence for a few minutes, brainstorming questions for the nineteen-minute commute. The questions had started as a way to avoid awkward silence, but then Leo had realized the Doctor actually gave solid advice. 

So, every day Leo has a new question. 

Sometimes it’s relevant- how to handle jury duty, how to apologize to the upstairs neighbor after a noise complaint, how to apologize to your sister for forgetting her anniversary.

Other times, the questions aren’t so relevant after all- he’d asked the Doctor about Beyonce’s new album when it had come out, and they’d had a conversation about world religion that had continued for at least a week back in August. 

Though they really only share about thirty-eight minutes of their day, Leo likes to think the Doctor doesn’t mind him. 

JJ and the Doctor walk out of the apartment building at 9:02. JJ carries a briefcase and a couple of loose files. He looks like he’s seen a ghost, and the Doctor doesn’t look much better. 

JJ opens the passenger door, and the Doctor takes his usual place in the car. His briefcase and files sit in the back seat, along with Leo’s stash of old cds. Once everything is properly situated in the car, Leo shifts back into drive and the commute begins. 

“So,” Leo says as they pull out of the apartment parking lot. “What’s on the schedule for today.” 

“Roundtable,” the Doctor replies. “They want me to talk about our relationships with India. They want me to say they’re good. I-”

The Doctor pauses for a minute, staring down at his hands. 

“I can’t remember if they actually are.”

“Hey, it’s fine,” Leo says gently. “You’re a smart guy, you have lots to remember. Nobody blames you for forgetting something once in a while.”

“India is a pretty big thing,” the Doctor says coldly.

Leo shrugs. “Well, I mean if relationships were terrible, they wouldn't need you to confirm that. It’ll be fine, I’d bet on it.”

The Doctor gives a weak smile. “You’d bet on anything.”

“But I’d win on this one, that’s what’s important.”

The Doctor chuckles a little but doesn’t reply. Instead, he stares silently out the window, clearly thinking but saying nothing. It’s like he’s frozen in some sort of trance, lost somewhere between the real world and his thoughts. 

The Doctor is usually quiet, but this quiet is different.

It’s heavy. 

It’s dark. 

Leo doesn’t like it.

“So I’ve got a question for you,” he says, effectively snapping the Doctor out of his thoughts. “Remember my friend Ji? The film studies major?”

The Doctor nods. “Yes, the one who filmed a music video last summer. Did he end up winning that contest? You never told me.”

Leo laughs. “No, not quite. He did take third, though, he was proud of himself.”

“Good,” the Doctor says. “What’s he up to now?”

“Well,” Leo says. “He’s trying to do a biopic- like a short piece on somebody’s life story. I keep telling him to do Shakira, but he seems dead set on doing David Barstow. Which like, Barstow is interesting but he’s not exactly glamourous.”

“Barstow,” The Doctor says, thinking for a minute or so. “He has four Pulitzers, right? I think we met him once.”

He thinks for a minute more before recognition lights up his face. “Right. Barstow. He’s at Berkely now- Victor and I got lunch with him back after his Walmart story broke. He’s a good journalist, Ji should definitely do him.”

“That… was admittedly not the response I expected,” Leo said. “Honestly I thought you’d back me on Shakira.”

The Doctor stares at him blankly. “Who’s Shakira?”

“Who’s Shakira?” Leo echoes. “You don’t- You know what, I’m not surprised. Grab the cd case in the back seat, find Shakira’s Oral Fixation album, it should be alphabetized.”

The Doctor reaches into the back seat, and Leo waits, focussing on the road. 

He tries to think about Shakira, and exposing the Doctor to “Hips Don’t Lie”.

Instead, he can’t stop thinking about David Barstow.

He can’t shake the fact that the Doctor knew him.

But more than that, he can’t shake the fact that in a mundane conversation about some journalist Ji was curious about, the Doctor just so happened to mention The Fiancee. 

He mentioned him by name, quickly and effortlessly, and it hadn’t even fazed him. 

_ Victor and I got lunch with him _ .

It was so insignificant, and yet so earth-shattering at the same time. 

But, Leo realizes, the morning commute is not the time to unpack Victor Nikiforov.

The morning commute is for Shakira.

**Monday, November 7th, 9:24 AM**

Otabek watches as Leo pulls up to the curb. Whatever he’s listening to, he’s certainly into it. Dr. Katsuki is watching him, clearly amused by the dancing, but not quite moved enough to participate. 

Leo parks, turns the music down, and gives Otabek a quick wave.

It isn’t a friendly wave.

It’s a concerned “come talk to me” wave.

Otabek knows it well.

He opens Leo’s back door and pulls out Dr. Katsuki’s bags. He lets the Doctor himself out of the car and makes his way to the open driver’s side window. 

“Hey Beks,” Leo says softly. “Just so you know, JJ accidentally mentioned The Fiancee this morning. And the Doctor kind of mentioned him too. He didn’t seem shaken up about it, but it happened.”

Otabek nods. “I’ll keep an eye on it,” he says.

Leo smiles. “Good luck.”

“Thanks,” Otabek says. “I’ll see you at four.”

Otabek makes his way back to the curb, where Dr. Katsuki waits. He doesn’t look any different than usual- his hair is its usual shade of disheveled, his square glasses sitting perfectly on his nose. His suit covers the leg brace, but the limp is still slightly present. 

“Good morning, Dr. Katsuki,” Otabek says as they make their way into the building. “Ready for Roundtable?”

Dr. Katsuki nods. “It’s India, I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

“Well, Roundtable should get out around eleven-thirty, Mila will bring your lunch and debrief you for your afternoon meetings. You have three consults today, but one of them is a representative from Yale.”

Dr. Katsuki looks confused. “What does Yale want?”

Otabek shrugs. “Probably a guest lecture, a workshop, or something similar. Mila will know better than me.”

Dr. Katsuki just laughs. “Please, Otabek. You and I both know I’m not qualified to lecture at Yale.”

Otabek doesn’t respond. 

Dr. Katsuki, after all, is incredibly qualified for Yale. He’s working as a government consultant on foreign affairs, meeting regularly to discuss global politics and policy. He’s renowned as one of the best in his field, and while Dr. Katsuki doesn’t believe it, Yale would be incredibly lucky to have him. 

But no matter what Otabek says on the matter, Dr. Katsuki will never quite believe him.

So instead, Otabek follows Dr. Katsuki on the usual route to the conference room. They stop at the Doctor’s office, which is basically an excuse for him to make another cup of coffee. Otabek uses the time to sort through the paperwork in the Doctor’s briefcase and pull the files marked for Roundtable. 

They make it to the conference room with six minutes to spare. 

Otabek hands Dr. Katuski the Roundtable paperwork and watches as he glances it over. 

“Thank you,” the Doctor says as he walks into the conference room. 

Otabek finds his usual bench and waits. 

**Monday, November 7th, 11:27 AM**

“Remind me why this is important again,” Mila says into her earpiece as she walks up the stairs and towards the conference room. “I know you want a consultation, but I just don’t see the urgency here.”

Technically, the politician on the other line has a response. 

Mila just sighs. 

“Listen. I work for an incredibly busy man. And I’m sorry that you want his stamp of approval on your policy, but he doesn’t have an opening until next month, you should have planned- no, I’m not subject to bribery, don’t try.”

She hangs up.

Technically, it isn’t professional.

If Mila Babicheva were professional, she wouldn’t have gotten the job.

Otabek waves at her as she approaches the conference room, and she smiles back. 

“What’s going on in there?” she asks. 

Otabek shrugs. “India, I think. Dr. Katsuki seemed confident.”

“He should be,” Mila replies. “He wrote a pretty major paper on India back in the day, I believe.”

For a while, they wait in silence. Mila drinks her tea. Otabek is scrolling through Spotify as he often does, pulling tracks for whatever new playlist he’s working on now. Last week, it was a metal mix for Yuri, but judging by the artists he’s looking at today, Mila guesses he’s changed gears. 

Eventually, the doors of the conference room open. Mila notes each of the Roundtable members as they pass- few of them are missing today, but that can easily be explained by flu season or Monday morning hangovers.

Dr. Katsuki walks out alone, a stack of papers in hand, and a pen shoved behind his ear. He locks eyes with Mila quickly and smiles. 

“New earrings?” he asks. 

“No,” Mila replies. “Just old earrings I haven’t worn for a while. Walk with me, we don’t have long before your meetings start and lunch is the most important meal of the day.”

“I think that’s breakfast,” Otabek says. 

“Did I ask you, Altin?”

Dr. Katsuki laughs, and they make their way up to his office. 

Technically, Mila and Otabek are both Dr. Katsuki’s PAs. That said, Mila handles most of the meetings and appointments. She answers the phone, makes the notes, and ensures that everyone who gets an appointment with the marvelous Dr. Yuuri Katsuki deserves an appointment with the marvelous Dr. Yuuri Katsuki.

Otabek carries the briefcases, escorts him between meetings, and scares any small children that might attempt to harass him.

Otabek, Mila figures, is probably too short to intimidate any actual adults attempting to harass Dr. Katsuki, but the building has security for that. 

“So,” Mila says as they reach the office. “Your first appointment is an up and coming law student who just wants your advice. Apparently, you’re like his idol or something, he asked really nicely and cleared the background checks, so I figured why not. His file should be in your briefcase. Second, you’ve got a senator looking for advice on a bill proposal. It’s pretty straight forward. Third is Yale, they want you on a guest lecture series.”

Otabek gives Dr. Katsuki a look. 

Dr. Katsuki sighs. “I suppose you were right, though I’m not sure how.”

“Anyways,” Mila says. “Talk to the man from Yale, see if it’s something you’re interested in. If it is, I can get your schedule cleared and make it happen. It sounded like a promising gig.”

“I’ll think about it,” Dr. Katsuki says. 

He doesn’t mean it. 

Yale isn’t the first university to ask, after all. Last Winter it was Harvard, Duke came before that. Dr. Katsuki always offers to think about it, and in the end, he always says no. 

Mila used to wonder why. 

She doesn’t anymore. 

No, if Mila Babicheva spent her time wondering about the Doctor’s psyche, she wouldn’t have a job.

She checks the clock. 

There are twenty-three minutes until Dr. Katsuki’s first meeting. It’s on the second floor, room 237.

It’s Dr. Katsuki’s favorite meeting room, probably because it has the biggest windows. 

They can make it there in eight minutes if the elevator cooperates. 

Mila takes a deep breath and sips her tea.

“So, Doctor,” Otabek says. “What was Leo listening to this morning? He seemed excited about it.”

Dr. Katsuki thinks for a minute. “A Latin artist- Shakira I think. She has very honest hips.”

Mila chokes on her tea.

**Monday, November 7th, 3:59 PM**

Leo pulls into his parking spot right on time and it’s only a matter of minutes before Otabek appears with the Doctor. He looks normal- whatever thoughts were on his mind this morning seem to be gone. Otabek sets the files in the back seat, the Doctor takes shotgun, and they’re back on their regular nineteen-minute commute.

“How was your day?” Leo asks as he pulls out of the parking lot.

The Doctor just shrugs. “Fairly regular. We talked about India. I met with a law student who had more energy than JJ in the mornings. And a man from Yale came by- they want me to do a lecture series.”

“You doing it?”

The Doctor shakes his head. 

Leo isn’t surprised. 

“So,” he says, looking to change the topic. “Hypothetically, if you could give any one species of animal the ability to talk, what one would you choose?”

“Dogs,” the Doctor says without missing a beat. 

“Really?” Leo counters. “Not, like, lions or something?”

The Doctor just laughs. “How many times would you get to talk to a lion, Leo?”

“At the zoo?”

“But  _ dog parks _ .”

Someday, Leo thinks, he’ll take the Doctor to a dog park. He might have to get Emil to help him, but knowing Emil, that won’t be a problem. 

After a bit more dog conversation and a minor debate about the superior dog breed. Leo pulls up to the Doctor's apartment building. Emil is waiting for them, smiling as always. 

“Dr. Katsuki!” he exclaims as the Doctor opens the car door. “Welcome home! I’m making that rice salad you like for dinner, and I got chocolate ice cream at the store!”

Emil, Leo thinks, is probably more dog than person. 

Once the Doctor disappears into the apartment complex, Leo drives home. 

This commute takes about half an hour, but he turns on the Shakira disc from the morning, and the time flies. Soon enough, he’s pulling into his apartment complex, and walking up the stairs to the third floor. 

His apartment is exactly how he left it, minus the noises from the upstairs neighbors. He sets his keys on the kitchen counter, flips the lights on, and scrolls through the notifications on his phone. 

Mila is not happy with Leo’s choice in music and decided to tell the group chat all about it.

JJ, apparently, is an ardent defender of Shakira.

Yuri, on the other hand, is ardently not. 

Leo signs and makes his way into the living room.

He almost drops his phone.

The living room is not exactly how he left it.

No, there’s a man sitting on his sofa, and well he’s technically a stranger, Leo knows exactly who he is. He looks slightly different, of course, it’s been years since he was last photographed. But between the hair and the eyes, Leo doesn’t have any doubts.

“You’re… dead,” he manages to stammer. 

“Clearly,” Victor Nikiforov, Forbidden Fiancee, Living Legend of Journalism says dryly. “We should talk.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Tuesday, November 8th, 3:54 AM**

JJ pulls into the driveway of Dr. K’s place, careful not to park Yuri in. He grabs his bags, locks the car doors, and makes his way into the apartment building. It’s a good morning- he knocked out a six-mile jog before work and he’s feeling refreshed and ready to hit the day. 

Yuri Plistesky, not surprisingly, is unimpressed.

“Welcome back, loser,” he mutters as JJ enters the apartment. “You look like a beaver snorted crack cocaine.”

JJ just laughs. “Good morning to you too, Yuri. You’re radiant as ever.”

Yuri rolls his eyes. “Don’t fucking talk to me. There’s a Monster in the fridge for you. I’m going home.”

JJ just smiles. 

He never drinks the energy drinks, of course. He suspects Emil does, considering they always disappear. But there’s something endearing about the way Yuri brings them in without fail. It reminds JJ that despite all the swearing and the insults, they’re actually friends. 

Yuri leaves, as he always does, and JJ goes about his morning routine. It’s uneventful- he straightens up the apartment, opens the windows, and starts a grocery list for Emil. He pulls out the Doctor’s medication for the morning, and when the time comes, he makes the coffee. At seven, the music starts to play from Dr. Katsuki’s bedroom, and the man himself emerges a few long moments later. 

JJ is armed and ready with coffee. 

“Good morning,” JJ says brightly. “How are you feeling.”

The Doctor hesitates for a moment, almost like he’s contemplating how much to say. 

He decides on a singular “fine”.

It’s not right.

The Doctor is never just “fine” in the mornings. He’s usually “tired”, “bitterly regretting being born”, or “wondering why they keep insisting on having meetings at ten in the morning”. And no matter how the Doctor is in the morning, he’ll usually turn it back on JJ. He’ll ask how the morning jog was, how Bella is doing, or how last weekend’s church service was.

But no, today the Doctor is simply “fine,” and it’s unnerving.

He sips his coffee in silence, and JJ works on getting breakfast on a plate.

“What’s roundtable about today?” he asks as he hands the Doctor his toast and a small cup of medication. 

“Don’t know,” Dr. Katsuki replies. “I’m sure Otabek will have a file on it.”

After that, the kitchen is quiet. The Doctor eats. JJ makes himself a piece of toast. He stares at the refrigerator to avoid eye contact, looking at all of the little post-it notes that Emil leaves there.

Most of them are simple affirmations- “Today is a great day!” or “You’re doing amazing!”. A few others are the notes Emil leaves to himself- “Almond milk!” or “Find a better recipe for chocolate lava cake!” or “Call Lisa from the Asian Market!”. They all have exclamation points, most have a smile. 

While JJ never really runs into Emil, he does appreciate the post-its.

The Doctor finishes his breakfast and disappears back towards the bathroom for his morning shower. 

JJ texts Leo. 

**_Something’s wrong with the Dr._ **

It doesn’t take Leo long to reply. 

**_Check the date._ **

JJ checks it. 

November eighth. 

It takes him a minute to remember.

But he remembers. 

**Tuesday, November 8th, 9:30 AM**

“Good morning, Miss Babicheva,” the cute receptionist says as Mila walks in. “How was your commute?”

“Fairly uneventful, as usual,” Mila responds. “How’s the office been this morning?”

The cute receptionist shrugs. “Fine, I guess. Otabek ran into the glass door on his way in this morning. If you come down on your lunch break I’m sure I can pull up the security footage.”

Mila laughs a little as she picks up the hefty stack of files waiting for her at the reception desk. 

“I’ll definitely keep that in mind,” she says. 

She’ll do more than keep it in mind. She’ll be down here the minute her lunch break starts, ready to sit and eat her turkey wrap with the cute receptionist. And talking to the cute receptionist, of course. Laughing will also be part of the plan. She’ll spend a good portion of her lunch break staring at the receptionist’s eyes, for that matter.

And she’ll get to laugh at Otabek running into a glass door, which was always a mood booster.

“I don’t know what you drink,” the cute receptionist says. “But whenever you come in, it smells amazing.”

She smiles, and Mila feels her heart melt a little in her chest.

“Well, it’s always tea,” she says. “Today’s is earl gray with blackberry and sage- there’s a great little shop on my way in. I’ll have to bring you something sometime.”

The cute receptionist just laughs. “Oh, don’t worry about it I couldn’t. You shouldn’t.”

_You could_ , Mila’s brain echoes. _I should_.

“I will,” Mila says with a smile and a wink as she heads towards her office. 

The minute she’s behind closed doors, she makes the note in her phone. She’ll have to ask Otabek if he knows what the cute receptionist drinks in the mornings. He usually gets into the office early, he could know or at least find out.

But tomorrow’s tea is tomorrow’s problem, and for now, Mila has a stack of files to sort through. 

She sinks into her desk chair, opens the first manila folder, and powers up her computer. 

The first file is a copy of a law that somebody is trying to pass. Mila doesn’t look at it any closer, Dr. Katsuki probably has a meeting about it later in the afternoon. The second folder is Emil’s grocery receipts for Mila to digitize. 

Mila is not particularly fond of digitizing receipts, so she turns to her computer and opens up her email. 

She has a follow-up note from Yale informing her that they think the meeting went wonderfully and will look forward to communicating more in the future. 

She chuckles a bit at that one.

There are a few more emails from senators, and the daily email from Mila’s automated calendar reminding her exactly what meetings Dr. Katsuki has this afternoon. But aside from the normal emails, there’s a new one from Upstairs sitting at the top of her inbox. 

**_November 8 Update_ **, the subject line reads.

Mila knows what it is before she opens it. After all, it’s the eighth of November, and the same email comes every year.

The email itself is fairly basic- strikingly similar to the one the office got last year. It reminds them of the date’s significance and respectfully asks the staff not to mention it. It also says that Dr. Katsuki probably won’t mention it, however, on the condition that he does, staff are to fill out the corresponding form to be sent to the Handlers. 

Mila shrugs it off- after all, Dr. Katsuki typically isn’t one to discuss his personal life in the office unless it involves a cute dog he saw on his way into the office. She’s never had to send a report to the Handlers, and she doubts this year will be any different. 

So rather than focussing on the email, Mila turns her attention to Emil’s receipts and starts her favorite mundane task. 

Her phone dings on her desk.

Leo’s texting the group chat.

**_Taco night @7?_ **

Mila smiles and types a quick reply. It’s not really needed- she’d never miss a taco night and Leo knows that. 

She glances at the time.

10:17

Just under an hour to deal with Emil’s grocery receipts and meet Dr. Katsuki outside of the conference room. It’s more than enough time to get everything scanned and processed, though Mila spends most of it wondering where Emil Nekola of all people actually learned how to cook.

**Tuesday, November 8th, 6:02 PM**

Emil isn’t too shaken up about missing taco night at Leo’s- after all, he planned out quite the evening for Dr. K. Lisa from the Asian market had come through and gotten him a reliable recipe for a pork cutlet bowl, and he’d been able to get the kitchen fully stocked in time for diner. 

Emil enjoys lots of his nights with Dr. K, but he loves cooking with him most.

They don’t do it often- after all, the Doctor works long days and Emil usually likes having dinner planned out and ready to go when needed. But every so often they’ll have a cooking night, usually involving recipes from Lisa and small amounts of wine. 

Dr. K. isn’t a heavy drinker by any means, but every once in a while he’ll get slightly tipsy and tell stories about his childhood, about going to college, about stupid things Phichit Chulanont did back when they were living in the dorms together. 

Dr. K. misses Phichit Chulanont, oddly enough. He talks about him often, usually with fondness and sometimes with exasperation. He tells stories about them, uses some of Phichit’s jokes, talks about their adventures together. 

It’s strange, Emil thinks, how he misses Phichit Chulanont but doesn’t remember his own fiancee.

But regardless of how strange, Emil likes listening to the stories. 

They make the Doctor seem more human, more like a friend and less like a client. 

Tonight, tipsy Dr. K talks about almost failing his British Literature course in college. 

“Chaucer,” he says, the name full of spite and disdain. “Why did it have to be _Chaucer?_ ”

No, Emil isn’t shaken up about missing taco night at Leo’s at all. Listening to Dr. K. talk passionately about The Canterbury Tales is much more enjoyable. 

**Tuesday, November 8th, 6:55 PM**

Leo waits.

He waits, staring at the apartment door, fighting the urge to pace. 

He waits, taping his toes instead, trying to forget about the dead man sitting in the back bedroom. 

Leo waits. 

JJ arrives first, as usual, armed with a case of alcohol and a giant bear hug. 

Mila’s next. She’s not wearing her typical office power suits anymore. Instead, she’s switched to leggings and an off-shoulder top that makes her look oddly approachable for the type of businesswoman Leo knows she is.

Otabek is the last to arrive, wearing his typical leather jacket, headphones around his neck. 

While technically they’re all friends, Leo can’t shake the ominous dread from the back of his throat. It feels like three of the four horsemen have arrived at his tiny apartment, and Death himself is sitting in the back bedroom. 

Except, nobody knows Death is in the back bedroom. 

Not yet, that is.

Leo doesn’t know how he’s supposed to tell them that Death is in the back bedroom. 

Instead, he waits, and happily eats some tacos with the group. They take their usual seats on barstools around Leo’s front counter and JJ starts passing drinks around. Mila asks Otabek about the office receptionist, who apparently has the most magical eyes. JJ chimes in with pick up lines that apparently worked on Isabella once upon a time. Leo isn’t sure how, and he’s fairly certain they aren’t good enough to work a second time around. 

Thankfully, Otabek and Mila seem to agree.

The conversation shifts slowly- Otabek talks about an upcoming DJ gig he’s excited about, JJ talks about his plans to propose. He doesn’t really have a plan yet, he’s considering a flash mob but also isn’t opposed to renting the jumbotron at a sporting event somewhere. 

Mila says he should go all out and make a fake movie trailer to show in the theater.

Otabek says he probably shouldn’t be planning proposals while drinking.

Mila looks unimpressed and insists that anything other than a dramatic proposal would be drastically out of character for The Man The Myth The Legend Jean-Jacques Leroy.

“And after all,” she adds. “They do work. Just look at Dr. K.”

“‘Work’ is not the word I’d use in that situation,” Otabek says, “considering Victor Nikiforov is dead and Dr. K seems to have blocked out his entire existence.”

JJ shakes his head. “No, he definitely remembers. I think he just pretends not to. It’s probably easier that way, you know? If I had a dead fiancee, I think I’d try pretty hard to forget.”

Mila laughs. “I’ll tell Bella to keep that in mind if she dies young.”

JJ sighs. “Don’t. Seriously. You know I’m right. It has to hurt like hell remembering that.”

“Fair,” Mila says. “But he has to be getting that grief out somewhere, right? He can’t have just been sitting on that for two years. That’s not healthy.”

“Maybe he’s been talking to Yuri,” Otabek offers. “We’d never know about it.”

“Or Emil,” JJ adds. “Emil seems like the sort of guy you could spill all your secrets to.”

“Emil would have reported it, though, he follows protocol,” Mila says. “Yuri just doesn’t care.”

“It’s bullshit,” Otabek says. “The reporting. Medication and injuries, sure. I get that. But reporting that Dr. Katsuki’s sad because his husband died?”

“Fiancee,” Leo corrects. “And he’s not dead.”

Leo had thought he’d known what silence felt like.

After all, it was a fairly simple concept. Silence. The complete absence of sound. What happens when all your siblings leave for school and you’re the one left home alone. What happens when you move into your first apartment by yourself. Or, what happens when you tell your coworkers that someone famous for dying tragically young in a violent plane crash isn’t, in fact, actually dead. 

“Victor Nikiforov, that is,” Leo clarifies nervously. “He’s not dead.”

“Leo de la Iglesia,” Mila says slowly. “What the ever-loving fuck are you on?”

“He’s not dead,” Leo echoes, like a broken record. “He’s in the back bedroom.”

“Bullshit,” Mila says, eyes digging straight into Leo’s forehead. “He’s _dead._ ” 

Leo knows that Mila is a very kind woman. He’s worked with her for long enough, he knows she’d never hurt him.

But at this moment?

In this silence?

Mila looks ready to shred him.

Otabek, on the other hand, just looks slightly puzzled. He stands up slowly, adjusts his leather jacket, and slowly walks down the hallway and towards the back bedroom.

_“I swear to god,”_ Mila whispers aggressively. _“If you’re on crack-”_

Leo hears the door open.

He swears his heart skips at least three beats.

“Hey,” Otabek’s voice says calmly. “Otabek Altin.”

“Victor Nikiforov.”

“ _Shit_ ,” Mila whispers. 

Leo hears the door close, followed by two sets of footsteps coming down the hallway. 

Otabek appears first. 

And then there’s Victor Nikiforov, Forbidden Fiancee, Living Legend of Journalism, looking very alive and clearly not dead. He looks different, of course. He’s not dressed up to camera levels of perfect, his hair could use a trim. He has a few more wrinkles around his eyes and he isn’t armed with his trademark, paparazzi-ready smile.

But he is very much alive. 

He is very much not dead.

For a moment, there’s quiet.

Otabek introduces everyone. 

It’s simple, and it’s stiff. 

“Mila Babicheva, JJ Leroy, Leo de la Iglesia.”

“Victor Nikiforov,” Victor says. “You all work with Yuuri?”

“Otabek and I work with him in the office,” Mila says softly, still looking shell shocked. 

“I’m at his place in the mornings,” JJ says. 

“And you’re the driver,” Victor says, turning to Leo. “There are more of you, no?”

Leo nods. “Emil just finished his shift, so he’s not coming. And Yuri’s at the apartment now.”

“There’s always someone with him?” Victor asks.

JJ nods. 

Victor sighs dejectedly and takes a seat on a barstool. “He’s a doctor, not a zoo animal.”

“He had an accident,” JJ says defensively. “His leg still isn’t back to normal, there’s medication to be handled, and besides. What if something were to happen to him?”

“Like what?” Victor asks. “Somebody tries to kill him? Like they tried to kill me?”

He’s so calm when he says it, it’s almost unnerving. Mila looks visibly taken aback. But Victor just stares at JJ, face betraying no emotion, daring him to craft a worthy response. 

There are not many people Leo considers himself scared of, but Victor Nikiforov is definitely on the list. 

“Nobody said anything about killing, Jesus,” JJ says. “And nobody tried to kill you, you died in a plane crash, freak accident. The pilot had a heart attack, nobody could’ve seen it coming.”

For a minute there is quiet as Victor Nikiforov, Forbidden Fiancee, Living Legend of Journalism contemplates. JJ still looks defensive- his arms are crossed and he’s trying to look intimidating. He’s very good at looking intimidating- after all he’s rather tall and works out more than enough to be solidly built. But Leo has a feeling that JJ won’t be winning in this situation.

“Have you ever wondered why nobody seems to remember that plane crash?” Victor asks. “I mean, sure. You know the news story. Pilot had a heart attack. I died. The Great Doctor Yuuri Katsuki was in the hospital. Tragic, I know. But Yuuri never talks about it, I’d assume, and there were no witnesses. Lots of survivors mind you, and yet no witnesses. No investigations as to what caused the heart attack, why the co-pilot didn’t intervene, how every other passenger escaped with minor injuries except for two. If you think, Mr. Leory, you’ll realize it doesn’t make sense.”

Mila looks like she’s seen a ghost. 

JJ has no response. 

Otabek just looks curiously intrigued. 

“Why?” 

“We were journalists,” Victor explains. “I was pretty, Yuuri was pretty and smart. People liked us. People listened to us. And when we traveled, talking about global politics and world events, people believed us. People followed our accounts, watched our shows, paid attention to what we had to say. And when what we had to say reflected badly on certain parties, certain parties had to intervene. And what better way to intervene than to kill me and get Dr. Yuuri Katsuki back on their side, spitting their truth.”

“Dr. Katsuki’s a smart man,” Mila says hesitantly. “How hasn’t he put this all together? How has he never questioned, hell, never so much as mentioned you? You’d think he’d at least have an _inkling_.”

“Wait,” Leo interjects, before Victor gets the chance to answer. “Dr. K’s never mentioned anything to you? Like ever?”

“No,” Mila replies. “Never.”

“He mentioned Victor to me yesterday,” Leo says. 

“He definitely wasn’t right this morning,” JJ says. “Like really not right. Which is understandable considering the date but he wasn’t off when he got into the office?”

“Not at all,” Otabek says. 

For a minute, there’s quiet. 

“I’m calling Emil,” JJ says, pulling his phone out of his back pocket. 

He dials, clicks the speaker button, and the phone rings. 

And rings.

And rings. 

“Hey!” Emil’s eager voice eventually says. “How’s taco night?”

“Good good,” JJ says. “But I’ve got a question for you.”

“Sure, shoot.”

“Was Dr. K weird tonight?” JJ asks. “Like slightly off, strange, weird… did he mention anything? You know considering the date and all?”

“Actually no,” Emil says. “We made dinner, had a bit of wine… he told me all about the Canterbury Tales which was hilarious. I didn’t know it was possible to hate Chaucer that much but apparently Dr. K does and almost failed a lit class because of it.”

Victor chuckles a little. 

“Never would’ve guessed,” JJ says. “Thanks though. We were just curious. Worried for him and all.”

“Understandable,” Emil says. “But he’s good.”

“Thanks,” JJ replies. “Talk to you tomorrow?”

“Yeah for sure.”

The phone clicks as it hangs up and once again there is quiet.

Leo can see JJ thinking- his forehead is crinkling up, eyebrows scrunched together. Otabek just looks mildly confused. Victor doesn’t look like he’s feeling anything, but Leo knows that doesn’t mean anything.

Mila looks horrified.

“Jesus, they’re drugging him.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all welcome back, it's been a while. I can't really promise any sort of update schedule on this one- this is my last semester of college classes and with covid going on and all... This is very much a "Casual Writing" sort of project that will happen when it happens. 
> 
> That said- let me know what you think! I'm always a sucker for comments, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the story so far. 
> 
> As always, thanks so much for reading and see y'all next time!

**Author's Note:**

> And we made it. If you're here, thanks for making it this far. Let me know what you think, what questions you have, what your theories are, all that jazz. This is a bit of an "out-there" AU, so I'm curious as to what you think! I'm on Tumblr as LocallyGrownAvocado, so feel free to hit me up there as well! 
> 
> Y'all are the best, much love and see you next time!


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